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Sunday, April 08, 2007

Offsets For Everything

Lore Sjoberg writing over at Wired:

You’ve heard of carbon offsets, right? The idea here is that you can keep your air conditioner running constantly from April through September, and your heater the rest of the year, and run a load of laundry just to wash a bow tie and a pair of Speedos, and you and your spouse can drive two separate SUVs two blocks to purchase a coal-powered water heater, and it’s all ecologically copacetic because you gave some money to some company that’s trying to save the world from people like you. Just a few thousand dollars can convert you from an atmosphere-despoiling narcissist to a fern-fondling flower child without you having to change your lifestyle in the least.

Clearly, there are no issues or problems with this system whatsoever, which is why I’m launching a number of corporations designed to help you improve every aspect of your life through the power of giving people money. With enough income, you can be the person you always wanted to be!

Ugly Offsets: Say, for the sake of argument, that you’re a grotesque clod with the sexual appeal of a dump truck’s undercarriage. I’m not saying you are, but I’m not saying you’re not, either. Sure, you could get a better haircut or undergo painful, unconvincing plastic surgery, but why not just buy ugly offsets?

Send us some cash and we’ll spend it on beauty college scholarships and research into moisturizing creams—after taking our cut, of course—thereby making you, economically speaking, so damn sexy. Just explain to the hotties at the bar that you’ve completely offset your ugliness and they’ll throw you into the sack with such speed and vigor that you won’t get your breath back until you’ve had three orgasms.

More hilarity at the link.

I think the “but I buy carbon offsets!” defense limousine liberals have thrown up to deflect criticism of their SUV-driving, private-jet flying ways have flopped.  People just aren’t buying it, and are beginning to mock the practice for the thinly-veiled hypocrisy it is.

And rightfully so.

Comments

Rob: Let’s take this to its logical conclusion: We all keep doing exactly what we are doing, and buy “carbon offsets” to “compensate”.  What happens?  There is exactly the same amount of “greenhouse gases” emitted, but there has been a large transfer of money from the productive sector to the less productive and nonproductive sectors.  It’s exactly what taxation does!  We essentially raise the price of everything, some of our earnings get siphoned off into fairly nonproductive activities, and we are all poorer in the long run.  Either way, the enviros “win”, and we ooze back toward the Stone Age.


If you don’t know by now, don’t mess with it.

robert108 on April 8, 2007 at 09:51 pm

Carbon offsets. Hee hee hee. Best scam evah!


rasberry

Sparkie Arbuckle on April 9, 2007 at 07:23 am
Avatar for FlyOnTheWall

Weird, so far I agree with everyone. 

I’ll just betray my protestant bent and say I consider gratuitous waste sinful, as in God made it - don’t waste it - be respectful.  In that vein, the comparison of carbon offsets compared to the church selling indulgences makes sense.  The wealthiest can do what they want as long as the ordained get their cut, very old and profitable scam.

FlyOnTheWall on April 9, 2007 at 09:01 am

Awesome!  Can I get some “Drunk Driving Offsets” if I donate to MADD?


[Feet make good soup!]

Marty on April 9, 2007 at 06:11 pm

Marty
I think so. I’m gonna get some murder offsets and go out and do a little killing this weekend! Its expensive, but what a rush!


rasberry

Sparkie Arbuckle on April 9, 2007 at 06:18 pm
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